New Brexit accord
The EU and UK have struck a new Brexit deal, with London making concessions on the status of Northern Irish, per Deutsche Welle, and Brussels budging on the backstop, reported the Irish Times. News of the compromise sent the pound up, noted CNBC and Marketwatch. Boris Johnson now faces what France 24 called an “uphill battle” getting the agreement through the British parliament this Saturday, but the BBC quoted the PM saying “I am very confident” that MPs will back the deal. Jean-Claude Juncker said the 31 October Brexit deadline stood, but Donald Tusk said the EU could give the UK an extension, per the Guardian, as did Pierre Gramegna on Bloomberg.
Turkey pauses Syria offensive
Ankara agreed to suspend its assault in northeastern Syria for 5 days following a meeting between Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish president, and Mike Pence, the US vice president. The ceasefire will allow Kurdish forces to withdraw from the so-called “safe zone” that Turkey wants to establish in the territory. Sources: Deutsche Welle, the Guardian, Reuters and New York Times.
China GDP growth below forecast
China’s economy expanded by 6% in the third quarter of 2019, the lowest rate recorded since 1992 and under the 6.1% expected. Sources: CNBC, Financial Times, Reuters and South China Morning Post.
Huawei sales rise
Chinese telecom gear-maker Huawei may be on US government and Google blacklists, but revenue for the first three quarters was up 24.4% compared to the same period last year (and up 27% in the third quarter) and it shipped 26% more smartphones. Its profit margins remained steady. Sources: Financial Times, the Register and South China Morning Post.
Saudi Aramco IPO further delayed
The energy giant Saudi Aramco’s on-again, off-again stock listing is temporarily off once again. Sources: Bloomberg, Financial Times and Reuters.
Juul stops selling flavours
The e-cigarette outfit Juul will stop selling fruity-flavoured vaping pods in the US. Sources: CNBC, Financial Times and NPR.
Competition inquiry: Apple
EU antitrust investigators have started looking at Apple Pay, according to Mlex.
Tech culture: Amazon
The New Yorker has intriguing insight into the internal workings of Amazon and the management style of CEO Jeff Bezos. The firm’s highly successful Alexa voice recognition system and video stream service were born out of the failure of its Fire phone.
Agenda
Friday 18 October: State Street earnings announcement. Sunday 20 October, 12noon-6pm: D’Coque sports centre hosts a “Family Day”. Saturday 26-Sunday 27 October: Luxembourg African Market at the Tramschapp.
Here are 7 science & technology stories you may have missed
Tech policy: 5G mobile are far more reliant on software (as opposed to hardware) than 3G and 4G networks, noted an EU risk assessment, which outlined some possible security issues of using kit from Chinese telecom vendor Huawei and others, per The Register. Personal technology: CNBC has tips on “how to keep your old phone working like new.” Chemistry: Researchers have developed a solar-powered technique to produce fresh water and liquid fuel out of the desert air, per Science magazine. Fauna: Cnet has University of Hawaii video showing humpback whales blowing bubbles to catch fish. Health: People who walk slowly in their 40s are more likely to have health problems and die sooner in their 70s and 80s, a study concluded, per the Independent. Health: IFLScience has US military tips on how to fall asleep anywhere in under 2 minutes (posted in September 2018). Health: MIT Technology Review spoke with the US military veteran who received the world’s 4th ever penis transplant (and there are hundreds more waiting).
Jump into knitted sweaters
GQ goes gaga for Swedish fashion brand Our Legacy.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Aaron Grunwald